Special Needs Planning in Woodland Hills for California Families

Why Special Needs Planning is Crucial

An outright inheritance can unintentionally disrupt SSI or Medi-Cal eligibility. Special needs planning ensures your loved one receives supplemental support—therapy, transportation, education, caregivers—without losing needs-based benefits. At The Estate Planning & Elder Law Firm, we guide families from Encino to Chatsworth through practical steps that protect benefits and dignity.

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Special Needs Trusts (SNTs)

A Special Needs Trust holds assets for the beneficiary while keeping them off the beneficiary’s countable resources. We typically design third-party SNTs inside your living trust so gifts from parents or grandparents enhance quality of life without jeopardizing essential programs. We’ll coordinate language so relatives know to contribute to the SNT rather than giving directly. When long-term care is a concern, we also integrate Medi-Cal planning to manage today’s needs and tomorrow’s possibilities.

Key Components of an SNT

Every plan defines roles and guardrails: who will serve as trustee, how distributions are made (typically for supplemental needs), and how to avoid giving the beneficiary direct cash. We’ll help you pick trustees and include practical powers for managing housing, vehicles, therapies, devices, and recreation. If you already have a revocable living trust, we can add a special needs sub-trust that “springs” into place when needed.

Guardianship and Conservatorship Considerations

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For minors with disabilities, parents should also nominate guardians. For some adults who lack capacity, a court-ordered conservatorship may be necessary to authorize medical or financial decisions. We’ll explain alternatives, help you avoid intrusive court processes where possible, and support families when a petition is the only path.

Coordinating With Your Whole Estate Plan

Effective special needs planning touches beneficiary designations, life insurance, retirement accounts, and gifts from relatives. We align each piece so nothing accidentally flows to the beneficiary outright. Our Woodland Hills team works closely with local providers and care managers across the West Valley to keep plans practical and up to date.